PPG: Spicy Hand Trap Choices!

PPG’s Season 1 Player Championships was quite the event! It featured some of the best players in a two-day tournament with Eternity Code legal. Cameron Neal brought home the gold with the newly discovered Synchro Eldlich! Steven Trifunoski rounded out top cut with a Pendulum debut, a deck unexplored this format! Today we’ll be featuring Hand Traps in PPG that saw success during the event! Two fresh ones from ETCO, an overlooked card from SOFU, and a card that returned to the spotlight!

The Hand Traps

The newest Ghost Girl proved its mettle this tournament! Both the Champion and one of the Semi-finalists used it to great effect. This card seems mostly outclassed by Effect Veiler and Infinite Impermanence. But there is more to it than meets the eye. With that being said, let’s look into detail on what the card is all about:

WIND | Level 3 | Zombie / Tuner / Effect | ATK: 0 / DEF: 1800

If your opponent Special Summons a monster(s) face-up (except during the Damage Step): You can discard this card, then target 1 of those face-up monsters; negate its effects until the end of this turn, also if that face-up monster leaves the field this turn, its controller takes damage equal to its original ATK. You can only use this effect of “Ghost Mourner & Moonlit Chill” once per turn.

Why Mourner?

In the current format where effect negation is prominent, having more “copies” of Effect Veiler might be the right call.

The event had a 40-minute time limit. Therefore, it puts pressure on the opponent with its effect.

Works well with Phantazmay, in the same vein as Effect Veiler.

Mourner is usable during your turn without any restrictions, which matters in some key scenarios. Examples below.

The new member of the Gizmek line-up makes a splash! Jason Leonard took a top eight spot by bringing the fox in his side deck.

EARTH | Level 7 | Machine / Effect | ATK: 2250 / DEF: 2250

Each time your opponent Normal or Special Summons a monster(s): Inflict 300 damage to them. You can only use each of the following effects of “Gizmek Uka, the Festive Fox of Fecundity” once per turn.● If a monster(s) is Special Summoned from the Main Deck (except during the Damage Step): You can Special Summon this card from your hand.● If this card is Normal or Special Summoned: You can target 1 face-up monster your opponent controls; Special Summon 1 monster from your hand or Deck whose ATK equals its own DEF, with a same Attribute as that monster.

Why Uka?

Crystron Halqifibrax is the most played monster in the game (as of now) and it summons from the Deck!

It makes use of Halq’s attribute, which allows it to bring out Barrier Statue of the Torrent. It can also use O-lion’s attribute for a Stormwinds play!

Torrent all but guarantees the opponent will be unable to Special Summon as WATER monsters are not often generic. Stormwinds with the WIND attribute achieves the same thing.

It works during your opponent’s turn. As a result, it dodges the two most-played effect negating hand traps.

This card certainly does what it says on the tin! Samuel Chung brought Token Collector its first big victory! Its effect is very specific which prompts most players to choose other hand traps instead. However, this format gives it a moment to shine!

EARTH | Level 4 | Fiend / Effect | ATK: 0 / DEF: 2000

If a Token is Special Summoned (except during the Damage Step): You can Special Summon this card from the GY (if it was there when the Token was Special Summoned) or hand (even if not). You can only use this effect of “Token Collector” once per turn. If this card is Special Summoned: Destroy as many Tokens on the field as possible, and if you do, this card gains 400 ATK for each Token destroyed. Neither player can Special Summon Tokens.

Why Collector?

Most decks are using the duo of Halq and Linkross, or Auroradon setups. The two best decks of the format are prime targets for Collector!

It destroys the tokens that make the combos work and puts them to a halt.

The card has applications in rogue matchups as well. For example, Generaider, which is bordering on the edge of the meta.

It’s a free Level 4 EARTH and has a useful effect. If you need to utilize tokens, you can just use it as a material!

You can trigger it yourself which allows for some nice extensions like Lost World!

Early on in the format, Phant’s appeal was low as the big link heavy decks took a hit due to the ban list. The two SESL decks, and especially Eldlich did not seem to care much for it either. With Adamancipator having more link focus and Synchro Eld’s birth, things shifted in Phant’s favor. Cameron, Koty, and Denis called that Synchro Eld would be a common sight for the tourney and got rewarded from their decision. Phantazmay performed well with these factors.

If your opponent Special Summons a Link Monster(s) (except during the Damage Step): You can Special Summon this card from your hand, draw cards equal to the number of Link Monsters your opponent controls +1, then shuffle cards from your hand into the Deck equal to the number of Link Monsters they control. When your opponent activates a card or effect that targets a monster(s) you control (Quick Effect): You can discard 1 card; negate the activation, and if you do, destroy it. You can only use each effect of “Fantastical Dragon Phantazmay” once per turn.

Why Phantazmay?

Phant summons itself for free and slightly fixes your hand, being a +1 in card advantage.

Its draw effect allows you to see more of your other hand traps to help against your opponent’s strategies. It also lets you dig for blow-out cards like Dark Ruler No More or Evenly Matched.

Link Monsters are common in the meta and Phant’s matchup against Synchro Eldlich is favored.

Targeting protection is a nice bonus effect that comes up every now and then.

Conclusion

These hand traps brought in good results and their future seems promising! However, the meta is quite volatile and their performance may change soon. Feel free to experiment with these choices and see if they work for you!

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